Observations and Explanations
by Son Mon Propre
Summary: AU. Rated for language. Post-OCTC. As TenTen walked into Ino's apartment, the first thing she saw confused her to the point where she was rubbing her eyes to make sure they were working properly.


**Disclaimer:**Again I do NOT own Naruto or any of the characters, so please enjoy this AU story :)

**Time:** this takes place post-OCTC

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As TenTen walked into Ino's apartment, the first thing she saw confused her to the point where she was rubbing her eyes to make sure they were working properly.

In front of her were her two friends who, from what she could remember, didn't talk to one another – at all. She had heard stories from when they had been in high school and how close they were, but by the time she had been assimilated into the group, her dark haired friend had recently broken up with his red headed (annoying) girlfriend and the old (pink haired) friend started to come around again.

From what Ino explained to her, Naruto and the two previously mentioned, had been inseparable up until the beginning of their second year in college. So from what she understood, Sasuke (dark haired boy) dated Karin (red headed girl) back in their last year of high school and when he broke up with her later that year, he and Sakura (pink haired friend) started hooking up, but they hadn't told anyone until the middle of their first year in college.

Apparently it was something the whole group had to adjust to and was constantly questioning the two if they were together, but when the 'couple' reveled they weren't involved with each other like that, the group was further confused. Also it didn't help that around the beginning of their second year, Sasuke started dating Karin again and Sakura all but disappeared from their lives (sans TenTen's – this was around the time they had met and Sakura realized she was 'Neji's TenTen'. She then proceeded to set the two up romantically and was happy when her attempts succeeded). The thing with Karin didn't last very long, maybe a whole of three weeks, but Sakura didn't start showing up until a couple months later (they had all told her, but she refused to come around saying she would when she felt comfortable), and even then, in the middle of their second year, Sasuke and Sakura would only share a nod and a smile at most, so their sudden close proximity boggled TenTen.

Obviously she had taken Sakura's side when the whole situation was explained to her by the pinkie, but said friend insisted that she act cordially with Sasuke considering he and Neji were (somewhat) close friends and a new, blooming relationship with the latter male would be jeopardized if there was strain because of a situation she wasn't involved in.

TenTen was rather protective over Sakura considering how she had basically moved Neji's and TenTen's relationship in a romantic direction and she would not stand for it if Sasuke hurt her in any way again.

"Um, Ten, are you going to come inside?" Sakura questioned, giggling from her place on the loveseat next to Sasuke.

As TenTen looked around she realized that the only two in the living room of Ino's apartment were Sakura and Sasuke, but when she looked down at the shoes in the doorway, it appeared that she was the last one to arrive.

"Oh, um, sorry," TenTen smiled embarrassed, taking off her shoes and stepping into the apartment, "where is everyone?" She questioned looking around some more.

"They're inside the kitchen!" Sakura exclaimed, returning her attention to the dark haired boy sitting next to her.

As TenTen examined the two, walking to join the others in the kitchen, it appeared that their friendly atmosphere had not been disturbed by her sudden intrusion.

Sasuke had his body slightly turned towards Sakura with one arm leaning against the armrest and the draped across the back of the sofa, his hand playing with the tips of Sakura's hair. His female companion had her legs crossed on the loveseat with her whole body facing the boy, gesturing with her hands as she told him a story, not minding his hand in her hair. From where she stood, she could see the smile on Sakura's face and the smirk gracing Sasuke's mouth.

"So, um, those two just look peachy sitting there now don't you think?" She said as she entered the kitchen, announcing her arrival.

"AH! We know!" Ino practically shouted, running over to her to grab her hand and drag her back to the island where everyone had convened. TenTen broke off from Ino's grasp and made her way to stand next to her boyfriend after saying her hello to everyone else in the room. "I was just telling everyone what had happened between those two!"

"Okay… well do you mind back tracking a bit so I can get caught up? I am thoroughly confused." TenTen had deadpanned to the blonde.

"Basically Sakura asked Sasuke if they could hang out before today and she brought up the topic of their situation." Neji told her from her side, his arm sliding around her waist as he did so.

"Not only that! But Sakura-chan gave Teme a verbal beating, yelling at him inside the café they were sitting in! Man, what I wouldn't pay to have sat there to watch Teme just take it from her!" Naruto interjected from across the island next to Hinata.

"Technically he didn't 'just take it' from Sakura though –" Kiba started to say, only to be cut off by Ino who exclaimed, "Well duh! Otherwise they wouldn't be where they were right now! You missed it Ten, when they walked in together a while ago, that was a site to see! Especially since the only two people who knew about their conversation were Naruto and me! But to see them walk in, with Sasuke holding the door open like that," Ino made a low whistling noise, "now that was a sight to see!"

"Wait, so does that mean you guys haven't seen what they look like now?" TenTen spoke up.

"What do you mean TenTen-san?" Hinata questioned.

"Well they're sitting pretty close to one another and Sasuke has his hand in her hair…" TenTen explained slowly, watching all the faces shift until –

"TEME! GET YOUR HANDS OUT OF SAKURA-CHAN'S HAIR!" Naruto yelled, storming out of the kitchen and around the corner to the living room while everyone else opted to peer around the corner and watch the scene unfold.

"Hn. Shut up Dobe. It's none of your business." Sasuke stated, although his hand did stop playing with Sakura's hair and rested on the back of the sofa when he saw everyone else peak in.

"Oh calm down you two," Sakura rolled her eyes, "its fine Naruto, and its nothing to yell over."

"How is this fine Sakura-chan?" Naruto continued to interrogate yelling, much to Sasuke's annoyance.

Sakura leaned forward and across Sasuke to grab Naruto's hands to say, "Well, the three of us are together again, isn't that a good thing?"

The smile that had spread across her face had all but defeated Naruto. His shoulders slumped forward as head just nodded his head.

"Good! Now go back in there and continue your gossiping about us," She said while laughing, "You're going to need to catch Tenie-chan up; she looked like she had seen a ghost when she walked in!" She winked at him as Naruto howled in laughter responding with an, "Ay-eye Sakura-chan!" before turning around and leaving the two to resume their conversation.

As Naruto rejoined the group in the kitchen he could hear Shikamaru mutter something about how 'troublesome' of a couple they were going to be to which TenTen asked, "Wait! So they're together now?"

"No, not yet," Ino sighed. "Sakura told me that after Sasuke convinced her to sit back down he explained to her what happened, and that they said they'd take it slow and ease into dating and stuff! Although, she did say that they both agreed to how they didn't wanted to date right now, and that _totally_ confused me 'cause I don't know what they are!"

"Well does that mean they can date other people?" Kiba questioned, smirking.

"Don't even think about it Inuzuka! Even if they aren't exclusive, you're barking up the wrong tree!" TenTen objected.

"TenTen you don't know how troublesome it was back then. Sasuke was so protective of Sakura and would get all moody when she would accept dates in high school and last year. Imagine how bad it'll be now…" Shikamaru pointed out to the group.

"Although, if you think about it, if they aren't exclusive and if they need some help moving their relationship along, a little push wouldn't hurt… otherwise everything might unravel again…" Hinata reasoned. Slowly, everyone's head turned towards her and Naruto enveloped her in a hug, yelling something about her being a genius much to everyone's amusement.

"Well, as much as I'd like to say you have a point with the whole 'unraveling' Hinata, it's not going to happen!" Ino exclaimed to the group. "This is basically the part you had walked in on Ten!" she continued, "So back tracking a bit, Sakura asked him if he was going to quit bullshitting him and he doesn't really give her much of an answer, but _then_, he tells her that nothing they did was pretend to him and that he didn't know where she got that idea from –"

"So Sakura-chan gets all mad," Naruto cut Ino off, "but he starts saying how she didn't give him much time to explain! So Teme starts explaining to her –"

Somehow, this turned into 'Who Can Tell the Story Better with Ino and Naruto,' as Ino cut him off and continued, "– how he _really_ didn't know what he wanted, that he had no intention of using her, how he regretted not clearing things up – cause he was and still is a fucking douche like that – "

"Wait, so why did he bring Karin around again then?" TenTen questioned.

"Teme's stupid. He was using _Karin_ to try and get over _Sakura_ cause he thought that _she_ thought their whole arrangement was one sided on his part," Naruto explained as Ino chipped in grinning a 'he's one fine piece of meat… even if he is emotionally inept… sorry Shika.'

"So wait… That was his whole explanation to her? And she forgave him after that?" Neji asked, eyebrows furrowed half in anger, half in confusion.

"Well Sasuke isn't one for many words, so he had to have said something that affected her in all this mess," Hinata reasoned.

"Hey! How could I not forgive him after he explained all that to me?" Sakura walked in from the living room. "When you hear that everything is a misunderstanding _and_ you get apology, an actual one mind you, it's kind of hard not to forgive someone! Come on Pig, he admitted he had feelings for me! It was kind of cute to watch him squirm when he was talking about all of this," she giggled walking back out to the living room after grabbing two waters. "Are we going to watch the movie soon? Everyone is here you know!" She yelled back as they heard her sitting on the couch again.

"Yeah! Give us a minute Forehead!" Ino yelled back before turning back to everyone, "Are we all caught up?" She questioned and with the chorus of grunts and 'yes' from the group they made their way back to the two in the living room.

They walked in to see the pair in the same position as before, except Sakura was now playing with Sasuke's hand that was previously on the back of the sofa. The water bottles Sakura had come into the kitchen to grab were on the floor next to them, untouched. As everyone had gotten themselves situated, (Sasuke and Sakura on the loveseat, Ino and Shikamaru in the recliner, Hinata, Naruto, and Kiba on the floor while Neji and TenTen sat in chairs brought in from the kitchen), and after passing around the bowls of popcorn and grabbing pillows for themselves, TenTen could clearly see the pair that had been the topic of the night in the dimly lit room.

She sees how Sakura pull her legs up to the couch and shift her body so her back is leaning into Sasuke and her feet are off the loveseat, hanging over the side and how the dark haired boy shifts as well to accommodate his partner. She doesn't miss his arm move up so she is leaning on his chest as he drapes it on the top of the sofa again. She also catches how her pink haired friend turns her face up to smile at the dark haired boy. Or, how said boy smirks in return. And finally, TenTen was very happy she didn't miss seeing Sasuke slowly lower his head to plant a light kiss on Sakura's forehead as her eyes flutter close, before they both turn their attention back to the movie.

TenTen concludes that while it is shame she couldn't witness moments like these sooner, she is happy to be able to witness moments like these between the two at all. Finally, she, too, turns back to watch the movie, a smile adorning her lips.

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For bubbles05 I hope this helped clear things up a bit from your previous confusion and for BiancaWrites and debs o.0 I hope this continuation appeases you :) stay tuned for more updates with this AU!

I hoped you all enjoyed this :)


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